Hillary Clinton has a massive lead in Iowa, according to the first poll of Iowa Democrats taken since Vice President Joe Biden announced he would not seek the presidency.
A Monmouth University poll released Tuesday found Clinton has the backing of 65% of likely Iowa Democratic caucus-goers, with Bernie Sanders receiving 24%.
“We now have a two-person race, but one of those competitors has just pulled very far ahead,” Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute, said in a statement Tuesday.
Sanders had pulled close with Clinton in September as long as Biden was included as an option, but with the vice president out of the field, Clinton has taken a commanding lead akin to her standing in the spring.
But Clinton campaign aides don’t believe this poll is accurate. While they feel like they have momentum in the state, very few — if any — Clinton aides touted the poll’s results.
In fact, Clinton’s communications director outright said the poll was wrong.
“Let the record show, we don’t just complain about public polls that are bad for us. These 2 Iowa polls are great for us and crazy wrong,” tweeted Jennifer Palmieri.
Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley garnered 5% support and Harvard professor Larry Lessig got 1% support in the Monmouth poll.
The Democratic field narrowed significantly last week after former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb and former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee exited the race. But the poll still shows some indecision among Iowa Democrats, with just 40% saying they had settled on a candidate.
The Monmouth poll, which was conducted from October 22-25, surveyed 400 voters and carries a 4.9% margin of error.